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Deactivating and reactivating your Shopify store

If you're the store owner and your store is eligible, then you can use your Shopify admin to cancel your subscription and deactivate your store completely at the end of your current billing cycle.

You can also take a pause from selling on Shopify temporarily instead without deactivating your store.

If you want to deactivate your store, but can't remember your email or password, then you can recover your Shopify login details.

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Considerations before deactivating your store

Before you deactivate your store, review the following considerations to avoid potential issues regarding closing your store.

Reminders before deactivating your store

Retaining store information and assets

Before your current billing cycle ends and your store is deactivated after canceling your plan, consider what store information and assets you want to retain:

  • Unique domains: You can't use the same myshopify.com domain to create a new store.
    • You can create a new store that is branded with the same name, but your myshopify.com domain is unique to each store.
    • For example, you deactivate a store that you named Very Good Things and that had the URL very-good-things.myshopify.com. If you decide to create a new store, then you can still name it Very Good Things, but you can't use the URL very-good-things.myshopify.com.
  • Export store data: Export CSV files to save your store information.
  • Theme backups: If you've purchased a theme, then consider downloading a backup of your theme. Themes are licensed only to the store you originally buy it for. You can contact Shopify Support to transfer the license to another Shopify store you own.

Financial obligations

Consider how your financial obligations will resolve:

  • Subscription cancellation: Deactivating your store automatically cancels your existing Shopify subscription at the end of your current billing cycle. If you're on the Plus plan, then contact a Merchant Success Specialist for assistance.
  • Post-deactivation invoices: You might still receive invoices after deactivation for third-party charges, chargebacks, or other Shopify stores you own.
  • Pending payments: After your store is deactivated, any pending payments from Shopify Payments will continue to be processed, but you won't have access to your Shopify admin to resolve any potential issues.
  • Chargebacks: Even after deactivating your Shopify store, chargebacks can be filed against previous transactions. You'll need to reactivate your store to contest these.
  • Outstanding balances: When you cancel your plan, all apps are automatically uninstalled and any pending charges on your account are charged. These pending charges include any outstanding app usage charges, transaction fees, and shipping label charges. You might have additional fees and charges depending on your store activities before your billing cycle ends and your store closes.
  • Third-party apps: All apps are automatically uninstalled when you cancel your store. Any outstanding app usage charges are automatically charged at cancellation. Review any apps that are charged outside of Shopify billing to ensure that you're not charged for the app after your store closes.
  • Financial products: Access to Shopify financial products might be restricted or lost during deactivation.
  • Pause and Build plan: If you opt for the Pause and Build plan, then you'll incur a reduced monthly fee but will need to choose a new plan when resuming full operations.
  • Data deletion: If you choose to deactivate your store, then your store's information is guaranteed for 2 years, in case you decide to re-open your store. However, you can request the deletion of the personal data of your customers from your deactivated store before that timeframe.

For a detailed overview of the billing implications when pausing or deactivating your store, refer to Understanding billing implications before pausing or deactivating your Shopify store.

Customer order impact

Consider how your existing customers with unfulfilled orders might be impacted:

  • Gift cards: If you sell gift cards, then you might need to resolve outstanding cards. You can export your store's gift card CSV file that contains the information that you need to resolve any outstanding cards.
  • Outstanding orders: If you sell products with different purchase options (such as subscriptions or preorders), then you might need to resolve outstanding orders. Learn more about issuing refunds.
  • Order tracking access: Customers can continue to access their order details on the upgraded Thank you and Order status pages after you deactivate your store. Learn more about upgrading and replacing your Thank you and Order status pages.
  • Chargebacks: Chargebacks can still be issued by a cardholder even if the store has been deactivated. Deactivating your store means you won't be able to submit additional evidence through the Shopify admin in the event of a chargeback.

Custom domain considerations

Consider how your custom domain might be impacted:

  • Domain disconnection: When your store is deactivated or frozen, your custom domains become disconnected from your store. If you reactivate your store, then you need to reconnect your domains.
  • Transferring domains bought through Shopify: If you have a custom domain that you bought through Shopify, then you can transfer it to a third-party domain provider.
  • Transferring domains bought through a third-party: If you have a custom domain that you bought through a third-party, then you can remove it from your store using your Shopify admin. Because you manage your domain's DNS records through your third-party provider, you can point your domain to another platform at any time. If you want to use your domain with another Shopify store in the future, then you'll need to complete the domain verification process when connecting it to the new store.
  • Domain renewal: Your domain renewals aren't canceled when canceling your store. If your domain is scheduled to renew before your store's close date, then you might still be charged a renewal fee. Make sure to manage your domain renewal settings to avoid unexpected charges.
  • HTTP Strict Transfer Security (HSTS) policy: If you plan to deactivate your store and transfer your domain to a new platform, then be aware that Shopify's HTTP Strict Transfer Security (HSTS) policy remains in effect on your domain for 90 days after you deactivate your store. This policy helps to ensure the safety of the information about your business and your customers.
    • If you transfer your domain to another platform that uses HTTPS, then you don't need to take any additional steps.
    • If you transfer your domain to a platform that doesn't use HTTPS, then for the next 90 days, an error message is displayed in the browser when anyone attempts to visit your domain. The error message might state that the site isn't trusted or that the certificate isn't valid. Wait until the 90-day period is over, or consider transferring your domain to a platform that supports HTTPS.

Deactivating your Shopify store during a free trial or promotional pricing period

You can deactivate your Shopify store at any time. After deactivation, your Shopify subscription is terminated at the end of your current billing cycle, resulting in the loss of access to your Shopify admin. If you selected a paid plan before the conclusion of the free trial, then you must manually pause or deactivate your store to cancel your account and prevent being charged the fee for your chosen plan.

If you choose to end your Shopify account within the free trial period without opting for a paid plan, then no additional actions are required.

If you deactivate your account during a promotional pricing period for your selected plan, then you aren't entitled to a refund for any charges incurred during this period. Any outstanding balance on your account is charged after cancellation.

Cancel your subscription and deactivate your Shopify store

Before you deactivate your store, review the Shopify-managed domains that you have to avoid renewal fees and transfer the domain, if needed. If your domain renews after you've deactivated your store and before you've reached the end of your billing cycle when your store closes, then you might be charged for the renewel.

When you deactivate your store, all apps are automatically uninstalled and any pending charges on your account are charged. These pending charges include any outstanding app usage charges, transaction fees, and shipping label charges. You might have additional fees and charges depending on your store activities before your billing cycle ends and your store closes. Review any apps that are charged outside of Shopify billing to ensure that you're not charged for the app after your store closes.

When you deactivate your store and you've reached the end of your billing cycle, your Thank you and Order status pages automatically upgrade to the new versions so customers can continue to view their order details. Learn more about upgrading and replacing your Thank you and Order status pages.

Steps:

Desktop

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Plan.

  2. Click one of the following based on your plan:

    • If your store is in the free trial period, then click Cancel trial.
    • If your store is on a paid plan, then click Cancel plan.

  3. If applicable, then review the options to downgrade your subscription plan, switch to the Pause and build plan, or start a new store.

  4. Review the Shopify domains that you have to avoid renewal fees and transfer the domain, if needed, and review the pending charges. If you still want to deactivate, then select Cancel my plan and uninstall all apps, and then click Continue. All apps are automatically uninstalled at cancellation, and your pending charges are charged.

  5. Select a reason for the deactivation.

  6. Optional: If available, then add a comment to explain further.

  7. Click Continue.

  8. Optional: You can select Save payment details for quicker store reactivation.

  9. Enter your password, and then click one of the following based on your plan:

    • If your store is in the free trial period, then click Cancel trial.
    • If your store is on a paid plan, then click Cancel plan.
Mobile
  1. Log in to the Shopify app as the store owner.
  2. Tap … or ⋮, and then tap Settings.
  3. Tap Plan.
  4. Tap one of the following based on your plan:
    • If your store is in the free trial period, then tap Cancel trial.
    • If your store is on a paid plan, then tap Cancel plan.
  5. If applicable, then review the options to downgrade your subscription plan, switch to the Pause and build plan, or start a new store.
  6. Review the Shopify domains that you have to avoid renewal fees and transfer the domain, if needed, and review the pending charges. If you still want to deactivate, then select Cancel my plan and uninstall all apps, and then tap Continue. All apps are automatically uninstalled at cancellation, and your pending charges are charged.
  7. Select a reason for the deactivation.
  8. Optional: If available, then add a comment to explain further.
  9. Tap Continue.
  10. Optional: You can select Save payment details for quicker store reactivation.
  11. Enter your password, and then tap one of the following based on your plan:
    • If your store is in the free trial period, then tap Cancel trial.
    • If your store is on a paid plan, then tap Cancel plan.

You'll receive an email to confirm that your store is deactivated. You can still re-open your store or view your past bills. Your store's information is guaranteed for 2 years. If you choose to reactivate your store within 2 years, then you can re-open the store without rebuilding it.

You can also re-open your store and pause your plan.

Reactivate your plan

If you canceled your subscription but haven't reached the end of your current billing cycle, then you can reactivate your plan before your store is deactivated.

Steps:

Desktop

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Plan.

  2. Click Reactivate plan.

Mobile
  1. Log in to the Shopify app as the store owner.
  2. Tap … or ⋮, and then tap Settings.
  3. Tap Plan.
  4. Tap Reactivate plan.

Delete your data

Your store's information is guaranteed for 2 years, in case you decide to re-open your store. However, you can request that the personal information about your store's customers be deleted before that timeframe.

Learn more about deleting your data.

Reactivate your store

You can reactivate your store up to 2 years after deactivating it. After your store data is deleted, your store can't be reactivated.

If your Shopify store is frozen or paused, then you must resolve any billing or payment issues before you can reactivate your Shopify store.

Steps:

  1. Log in to your store as the store owner.
  2. Click Re-open <shop-name>.myshopify.com.
  3. Review the available plans, and then select a plan from the plan page.
  4. Enter your payment information in the Review and Subscribe section.
  5. Click Subscribe to reactivate your store.

Reconnect domains after reactivation

When your store is deactivated or frozen, your custom domains become disconnected. After you reactivate your store, you need to reconnect your domains.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Domains.

  2. Click Connect existing domain.

  3. Enter your domain name.

  4. Click Next and then follow the prompts to reconnect your domain.